They drive on the left in Bhutan, but that’s pretty much where the similarities between the UK and this small, carbon-negative Himalayan country end. The kingdom’s only airport, Paro International, has nowhere near the capacity of, say, London Stansted: only 24 pilots in the world are certified to make the landing here – a manual- and by-daylight-only affair that sees the aircraft approach between cinematically dramatic, 5,486m peaks onto a short runway only visible for moments before touchdown. There’s no word in the official language, Dzongkha, for “Cheers”: when raising a glass of home-brewed firewater, ara, you simply flick a few drops of the spirit into the air as an offering for the deities. And, perhaps most compelling for the Zen-seeking traveller in the year 2024, Bhutan is the only country to pursue happiness as a state policy, having, in 1971, rejected GDP as a measure of progress in favour of the principles of gross national happiness and the spiritual, physical, social and environmental health of its citizens and natural habitats.
Today, as the Land of the Thunder Dragon marks a half-century of tourism, while the assimilation of tech has invariably brought modernisation in its wake (TikTok is huge in Bhutan – farmers sell their products on it; monks dance on it), signs of the country’s wellbeing-over-material-growth ethos are everywhere. It’s there in the letters stencilled on the back of buses: “Take a ride and be happy”. In a glimpse, in the watery, early-morning sunshine, with a backdrop of snow-capped peaks smudged by spun-sugar clouds, of a young woman sitting on her balcony, brushing her hair. In the pride people take when dressing for a local tshechu, or fair – women in their best kira, the traditional ankle-length dress that consists of a rectangular piece of patterned woven fabric worn wrapped around the body and pinned at both shoulders; men in their smartest gho, a knee-length robe tied with a handwoven belt, and tego, a white jacket with long, folded-back cuffs, all finished off with knee-high black socks and polished shoes. And, 41 years since the first scheduled commercial flight landed here, this sense of worldly contentment is immediately apparent when checking into a village homestay – a brilliant – and great value – accommodation option for those wanting to fully immerse themselves in the heritage, culture and rhythm of traditional Bhutanese life. Village homestays are certified by the Department of Tourism and promoted mainly in rural areas to offer basic accommodation facilities – and provide visitors a valuable opportunity to generate supplementary income and improve livelihoods in the communities where farming is the main source of income.
“When raising a glass of home-brewed firewater, ara, you simply flick a few drops of the spirit into the air as an offering for the deities”
Today, as the Land of the Thunder Dragon marks a half-century of tourism, while the assimilation of tech has invariably brought modernisation in its wake (TikTok is huge in Bhutan – farmers sell their products on it; monks dance on it), signs of the country’s wellbeing-over-material-growth ethos are everywhere. It’s there in the letters stencilled on the back of buses: “Take a ride and be happy”. In a glimpse, in the watery, early-morning sunshine, with a backdrop of snow-capped peaks smudged by spun-sugar clouds, of a young woman sitting on her balcony, brushing her hair. In the pride people take when dressing for a local tshechu, or fair – women in their best kira, the traditional ankle-length dress that consists of a rectangular piece of patterned woven fabric worn wrapped around the body and pinned at both shoulders; men in their smartest gho, a knee-length robe tied with a handwoven belt, and tego, a white jacket with long, folded-back cuffs, all finished off with knee-high black socks and polished shoes. And, 41 years since the first scheduled commercial flight landed here, this sense of worldly contentment is immediately apparent when checking into a village homestay – a brilliant – and great value – accommodation option for those wanting to fully immerse themselves in the heritage, culture and rhythm of traditional Bhutanese life. Village homestays are certified by the Department of Tourism and promoted mainly in rural areas to offer basic accommodation facilities – and provide visitors a valuable opportunity to generate supplementary income and improve livelihoods in the communities where farming is the main source of income.
“You don’t really know a place until you've stayed in a local’s home,” says Bhutanese guide Dorji Bahdi. “Pre-pandemic, there were more tourists here, but they were mainly regional visitors. They’d drive their own car, eat their own food, sleep many to a hotel room, not employ the services of a guide – which contributes nothing to the local communities. Now, however, there’s been a gradual change; it’s more quality over quantity – the kind of visitors who appreciate the chance to experience a homestay.”
Gado Tshering, 75, welcomes guests to Paro Penlop Dawa Penjor Heritage Farmhouse with a smile and a cup of steaming milk tea, offering a jumbo tin of Danish butter biscuits and a bowl of puffed rice – a moreish snack that makes sense in a country where more than 20 different types of rice are grown, 19 of them in the Paro province alone. If the puffed rice tastes right, Tshering explains, the crop is ready to harvest. The house – mindfully preserved in its original state, with wooden doors and stairs, not a single nail having been employed in its construction – was given by the 23rd Paro Penlop (akin to a local governor) as a gift to his second wife, and is today run by her grandchildren and great grandchildren. Its historically earthquake-defying mud walls are 1m deep, keeping rooms warm in the winter and cool in the summer. The family’s children – and dogs, several of whom you’d swear are smiling – play outside in the courtyard, with the youngest child, wearing a blue bobble hat, snug in a carrier on his mother’s chest as she hunts for a USB cable when ours fails to work.
“You don’t really know a place until you've stayed in a local’s home”
Village-made basketry and straw hats (with pocket-money price tags) adorn the walls in the lounge, while a box in the corner is filled with a higgledy-piggledy selection of bows and arrows, archery being the ubiquitous national sport. Just as ubiquitous is the informal portrait of Bhutan’s beloved current king and queen and their children hanging on the wall, along with scenic calendars, Buddhist iconography, maps and family photos. There might not be a fancy boutique selling bikinis and golf sweaters here, but the nextdoor grocery store – complete with huge, hand-painted phallus by the door, a common sight in Bhutan, denoting fertility and inviting blessings – is an education in itself, stocked with everything from hurricane lamps to tortilla chips, freshly laid eggs and packets of betel nut, the stimulant of choice in this part of the world, with gum given in lieu of small coins as change.
While our Himalayan home-from-home might not have WiFi, it does have a very friendly grey-and-white cat who is happy to curl up on your lap at dinner. Eaten, traditional-style, cross-legged on jewel-coloured low cushions around the dark-wood dining table, our seasonal menu includes pumpkin soup, creamed spinach, national soul food chilli cheese, red rice, potatoes and pork – all of the ingredients grown or reared in the owners’ own fields. Small dish follows small dish, with a darkly delicious plum wine made by our server’s aunt available on a help-yourself basis. Whisky is on hand, too – K5 – the first to have been blended and bottled in Bhutan.
While not Wallpaper*-approved – and shared – bathrooms are squeaky clean, and it doesn’t take long to master the squat toilet (top tip: you don’t plant feet on the floor and extend undercarriage towards the void, but place feet on each side of it on the ridged porcelain panels designed for that purpose). There are bookshelves to linger over in the corridors – George Orwell titles interspersed with school grammar textbooks – and bedrooms are huge, with richly woven rugs softening bare floors, a dressing table with mirror and chair, and far-ranging views over chilli fields towards the mountains beyond. Electric room and mattress heaters are provided, and there’s a tea/coffee making counter should you be in need of a quick caffeine fix.
Many village homestays, including Paro Penlop Dawa Penjor, have their own on-site hot stone bath, or dotsho, with this centuries-old form of hydrotherapy being to Bhutanese family life what the sauna is to the Finnish. After the tub has been filled with clean water and the stones slowly heated over fire until red-hot, they’re dipped, one by one, into a small compartment of the wooden bathtub to protect the bather from direct contact. The minerals they release as they crack are believed to benefit joints, hypertension, stomach disorders and arthritis, while various herbs such as artemisia added to the water also have medicinal properties – and provide a fragrance far lovelier than that found in any bottle.
Many village homestays, including Paro Penlop Dawa Penjor, have their own on-site hot stone bath, or dotsho, with this centuries-old form of hydrotherapy being to Bhutanese family life what the sauna is to the Finnish. After the tub has been filled with clean water and the stones slowly heated over fire until red-hot, they’re dipped, one by one, into a small compartment of the wooden bathtub to protect the bather from direct contact. The minerals they release as they crack are believed to benefit joints, hypertension, stomach disorders and arthritis, while various herbs such as artemisia added to the water also have medicinal properties – and provide a fragrance far lovelier than that found in any bottle.
Rejuvenated by a long soak and a blissful night’s sleep under mounds of fluffy blankets, and fuelled by a breakfast of organic buckwheat pancakes, homemade yoghurt and fresh fruit, guests start the day fired up and ready to explore. Wonders that await include the incredible, 1968-opened National Museum; Thimphu’s Royal Takin Preserve, home to the eponymous national animal, an odd but loveable mashup of a goat and a bison; the 52m-high “Big Buddha” of the Buddha Dordenma Memorial Chorten; golden fertility temples, or dzongs; swaying suspension bridges adorned with fluttering prayer flags in bold colours to reflect the natural elements – red, white, yellow, green and blue; and, right on your doorstep, a highlight, the pine-scented three-hour hike up to the country’s most sacred site, the Tiger’s Nest Monastery, Paro Taktsang. Village homestay hosts, as well as offering accommodation, can organise activities including neighbourhood tours, farm work, cultural events and many more.
Choosing happiness? It’s a way of life in Bhutan – and one that a village homestay puts into context in a profoundly memorable and meaningful way, and, at the best of them, making you feel like you’re one of the family.
Seven Bhutanese village homestays to book
Paro Penlop Dawa Penjor Heritage Farmhouse, Paro
Best for: Tiger’s Nest pilgrims
A handsome three-storey building surrounded by its own land in a Paro village, offering comfortable amenities, excellent home cooking and a traditional hot stone bathhouse. Book the “Living Museum” room for an array of artefacts that were in use here back in the 18th century.Carpenters Rd, Paro; facebook.com
Deki Farm House, Paro
Best for: bookworms and history buffs
This calm, 300-year-old house feels more like a museum, with other amenities including a hot stone bath, archery and plenty of window seats and cool corners in which to curl up with a book. Owner Deki and her husband live on-site and cook for guests, while their daughter helps serve. The couple also conduct tours of their home, for a small extra fee.FC4G+299 Kempa, Dopshari; facebook.com/dekifarmhouse
Ugyen Village Homestay, Haa
Best for: the good life
Set in the village of Dumchoe in the heart of the outstandingly beautiful Haa valley, at the base of three sacred hills known as “Meri Puensum”, this 200-year-old former district governor’s home offers guests a range of hands-on activities, including archery, campfires, cow milking and milk churning. Next to White Temple, Dumcho, Takchu, Haa; trulybhutan.com
Tshomo Farmhouse, Bumthang
Best for: foodies
This pretty farmhouse is located in Dorjibi village in Bumthang province, just a few kilometres from the town of Jakar. As well as experiencing the charm of alpine village life and interacting with farmers in their fields, guests can sign up for authentic Bhutanese cooking classes, learning to make traditional dishes such as buckwheat noodles.Dorjibi village, Bumthang; facebook.com
Mendrelgang Homestay, Punakha
Best for: forest bathers
Set on a steep, forested hill around a 90-minute drive from the airport, the family-run Mendrelgang welcomes guests with real fireplaces both inside and out, packed lunches for excursion days and an on-site minimarket and sun terrace, along with much-lauded traditional home cooking.Thimphu Punakha Highway, Mendrelgang; booking.com
Divine Heritage House, Punakha
Best for: social media die-hards
This one has free WiFi – but also a huge garden for those who want to switch off and relax. There’s an open-air bath, bar and shared lounge, and the hosts will be happy to arrange a free airport shuttle transfer, as well as picnics for those setting off on hikes in the glorious local countryside.Teoprongchu, Punakha; booking.com
Damchoe’s Homestay, Thimphu
Best for: families
With a main house and scattering of recently added cottages set on a small farm in Thimphu, and plenty of local kids around to make friends with, this property is hosted by Aum Damchoe, an excellent cook who also produces her own tofu – and speaks good English.Langjopakha, above forest check post, Thimphu; bhutanhomestay.com
